


Steadfast

by FaeRegina (Principessa_Dell_Opera)



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Jane Austen Fusion, Alternate Universe - Regency, Apologies to Jane Austen, Arranged Marriage, Bad Flirting, Childhood Sweethearts, Forgiveness, Friendship, Gay and Straight Marriages, Happy Ending, I Was Convinced To Finally Post This, Jealousy, M/M, Mutual Pining, Poor Planning, Romance, Slow Build Castiel/Dean Winchester, gentleman!Castiel, period au, persuasion au, sailor!Dean
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-08
Updated: 2016-01-08
Packaged: 2018-05-12 16:15:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5672254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Principessa_Dell_Opera/pseuds/FaeRegina
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Regency England/Napoleonic Wars AU.  Ten years ago, Castiel Milton was convinced to break off his anticipated and wished-for betrothal to Dean Winchester who--though a landowner and titled after his father's passing--was impoverished, and about to head to sea.  Since then, Castiel has come to regret being so easily persuaded to give up his childhood sweetheart, and has remained steadfast and faithful to Dean's love and friendship, though they have not spoken since the engagement was ended.  Now, Castiel's family is deeply in debt and his home is rented out to Sam Winchester and his wife, thrusting Castiel suddenly into the company of Commodore Dean Winchester--a highly sought-after and eligible bachelor, now that he has made his fortune in the war.  With everyone around him throwing themselves into Dean's path, hoping to become his wife, can Castiel win back Dean's heart?  Or will he again be persuaded, and marry another to secure his family's lifestyle?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Steadfast

**Author's Note:**

> This is set in a Regency England where the question of sexuality is inconsequential, though religious morals and arranged, loveless marriages are abound. This is my first Destiel fic, and I'm posting this before I lose my nerve. Please be kind and enjoy!

The Baronetcy of Empyrean Hall had been bestowed on the Milton family nearly a century ago for services to the crown, and Sir Marv Milton used every opportunity to remind his long-suffering neighbors of it.  His great-great-grandfather had been a favorite of the King, making him unpopular in Parliament, which was why he wisely chose to remove his family further north where they would be sure that only friends would visit.  Subsequent generations stayed on in the large, overly decorated estate, and made it their more permanent home, even as they spent their inherited money on useless houses in Venice and Paris, and always renting a property in London for the Season.  Marv Milton’s father had been obliged to sell the houses in Venice and Paris for want of money, but his wife was a spendthrift, and passed her expensive taste for the latest trends and fashions to her son.  Marv was a fussy man, extremely vain, and he fancied himself a tortured poet, always sending new material to his publisher and forcing copies of his works on anyone who was unfortunate enough to ask after them.  Anything that caught his fancy he purchased, including his wife, Naomi.  She was much more sensible than her husband—though rather cold and snobbish—and though she brought a sizeable dowry with her to the marriage, money remained tight and Marv remained unshakeable in his love of self and rich things.

The only good in Empyrean Hall—neighbors universally agreed—was the extraordinary luck Marv and Naomi had in their children, Michael (whose twin brother died within days of birth), Gabriel, Gadreel, Anna, and Castiel.  Michael was the heir of the Empyrean estate, and was quite proud of his station in life.  Educated at Oxford, he spent much of his youth touring Europe and basking in his self-importance.  He was a brilliant, handsome young man, and if he had been just a bit more agreeable, he would have been the most sought after bachelor every London Season.  He was promised to marry a distant relation of theirs, Margaret Masters, the eldest daughter of a very well-to-do cousin—Meg, as her family affectionately called her.  However, the cousin had slighted Marv when Michael was in his early adolescence by (rightfully) condemning Marv’s poetry as trash, and the families didn’t speak again.  As it was, Michael preferred to remain single for the time being and enjoy his freedom and importance, often with a friend of his, Mr. Fergus Crowley, who was a regular fixture at Empyrean Hall.  Michael had no doubt in his mind that if Meg (by all accounts, a beauty) ever wanted to take up the acquaintance between their families, she’d start with him, and he’d be able to secure her hand in marriage, and therefore her dowry and fortune.

Gabriel was the second eldest, and used his position in life to make everything as difficult as possible for his arrogant parents and brother.  Also educated at Oxford, he took his education and put it to use, investing in a few ships headed for the East Indies, and became almost obscenely rich overnight.  Using his newfound wealth, he began his own trading company that tripled his profits within the first year.  Though he had inherited his father’s expensive and indulgent tastes, he’d also inherited his mother’s good sense and made several smaller investments, keeping a sizable savings in a reputable London bank.  He’d come back from a trip to India with a Hindi bride, a graceful, proud, strikingly beautiful woman named Kali that he clothed in the finest silk with the most priceless jewels he could afford.  Her exotic beauty made sure that she was always the talk of the town, something she clearly enjoyed.

As the middle child, Gadreel had very few prospects in life—even had a similar name to his elder brother, making him easily overlooked—and knew it from an early age.  Taller than both Michael and Gabriel (a feat easily accomplished in Gabriel’s case), he was a useful, soft-spoken man, humble and very religious.  He had been very close to his father as a child—at least, that’s what Marv pretended now that Gadreel was established—but in truth he had been rather neglected; too young to be in society with his elder brothers, too old to play in the nursery with his sister.  Years of following his father’s orders gave him a strong moral code, which is why he deviated so far from the family’s situation and expectations.  He learned very quickly the economic impacts of farming, and was often seen with his mother, pouring over the household ledgers.  He prudently attended the seminary as a youth, and received a commission for a large, profitable parish deep in Derbyshire where he served his community, comfortable with his lot in life.  He eventually fell in love and married Abner, who was the younger son of a local, wealthy merchant.  They adopted two orphaned sisters—Rachel and Hester—and lived modestly, but happily, picturesque in their lives together.

Anna was the only surviving daughter of Marv and Naomi, and inherited her mother’s abundant, vivid red hair.  Renowned as a local beauty, she was educated well and considered one of the most accomplished young women in England.  At the age of twenty, she was married to the son of a very rich and very rustic squire, Charles Shurley Singer, and lived not far from her childhood home, on a charming piece of land called Uppercross Falls.  She was currently situated in the dowager cottage with Charles; her in-laws Admiral Robert and Lady Ellen, and Charles’s sisters, Celeste and Joanna—affectionately called Charlie and Jo—lived still in the great house until such a time as the girls were married and Sir Robert and Lady Ellen decided to retire.  Anna often remarked to her favorite brother Castiel that though she felt she should be discontent with her very small household with a finer house a mere walk away, she enjoyed having sisters, and Admiral Robert and Lady Ellen were very kind to her, Charles a devoted, if sometimes nervous and distant husband.  She only wished, she said, for more society than she was currently exposed to since she had married down; a squire was no baronet.

Castiel was the youngest, the fourth son, and oh how the ladies of the county fussed over him as a child, pinching his cheeks and cooing at him as he gazed at them with solemn, impossibly blue eyes.  He was quiet and intellectual, handsome and kind, polite and agreeable once his rather introverted manner was understood.  He was everything a gentleman should be, though he was not rich, and any number of rich heiresses would have been happy to claim him.  Unfortunately for them, his heart had been claimed years ago.

The nearest family to the Miltons of Empyrean Hall was the Winchesters of Lawrence Manor, or at least, what was left of it.  When Castiel Milton was five, and the youngest Winchester was barely six months old, a fire claimed Lawrence Manor and the lady of the house’s life.  Army Captain John Winchester had been distraught over Lady Mary’s death, and for a time, since he had no kin or in-laws, six-month-old Samuel and four-year-old Dean moved into the nursery of Empyrean Hall with Castiel.  Castiel and Dean were immediate friends, and were rarely seen without the other.  Where one went, the other followed, and when baby Samuel was old enough to walk, he joined them on their crusades and adventures.  Marv and Naomi were pleased with their youngest son’s friendship with the Winchester heir, and hoped that one day they would marry, and Castiel would be settled at Lawrence Manor—a hope rather solidified by their son’s childish declaration that he’d marry no one but Dean, and Dean had been rather adamant in his agreement.  But as the boys were sent to school (together, of course, Captain Winchester hardly needed persuading to send both his children to school), it became evident that Dean would not be the heir the Miltons preferred for Castiel.  Captain Winchester drank his fortune away, his life following very shortly after.  Dean Winchester had enough money left to purchase an officer’s commission in His Majesty’s Navy, and every pence he made thereafter went towards keeping his brother in gentleman’s comfort all through school until his brother was very happily situated in Parliament, amassing a fortune for himself by wisely investing in Gabriel Milton’s company and staying very popular with his constituents.

Before he had left to go to sea, Dean Winchester asked his childhood friend and sweetheart for his hand in marriage.  Happy and in love, Castiel had accepted Dean’s offer, and together they gladly began to arrange for a small wedding.  However, when confronted by a trusted family friend, Sir Zachariah Adler, on the nature of his cheerful disposition, Castiel confided the whole plan to him.  Zachariah was immediately concerned.

“You accepted a poor sailor, with no prospects and no fortune to recommend him?” he asked incredulously.  Castiel—nineteen and still rather romantic—confirmed this to be true.  “Oh, Castiel, what a terrible mistake you have made!”

Castiel was understandably confused.  “Lord Winchester is well-educated and very respectable, Zachariah.  His fortune may be gone, but he is not his father and will soon return the family to its former standing.”

“And if he fails, rather than succeeds?  What then?  You will be ruined!  Forced to live as a common housewife, another widower of the war!  No one will pity you and you will have nowhere to turn!  He will almost certainly perish while at sea and still you will have no choice but to beg, to return a pauper to your parents’ house!”  Zachariah railed on and on for hours, expounding on the extensive vices and evils that would befall Castiel should he marry Dean Winchester.  Zachariah called on Marv and Naomi to aid him in his crusade against the young Lord Winchester, and by the end of the evening, Castiel had been persuaded to end the engagement, or be disowned by his family forever.

Heartbroken, Castiel went to meet Dean one last time, ending their engagement and friendship.  Castiel never forgot Dean’s heartbroken countenance, nor his trembling words and hands as Dean embraced him tenderly and begged him to reconsider.  He attempted to explain to Dean that Zachariah, Marv, and Lady Naomi only wished for the best for him and he had been persuaded to reexamine the wisdom of marrying Dean, because according to his family, Dean’s poverty made his company unsuitable even though the families had a long history of friendship between them.  Grievously slighted, Dean’s resolve steadied him and he struck Castiel’s face with a closed fist, denouncing Castiel as a spineless coward and how he regretted their friendship.  Angry and offended, Castiel struck back, declaring Dean a faithless lover if his heart could be so easily swayed by the words of a family unrelated to him.  Dean’s responding fist and words accused Castiel of hypocrisy, of Castiel’s faithlessness to him by allowing himself to be persuaded.  The fight continued but was soon ended, both men sent on their way.  Bruised and bloodied and hurt, they turned away from each other and parted, though they both several times turned to gaze at the retreating back of the one they had loved so dearly for so long.

Dean left the county that day, and only Castiel’s correspondence with Sam Winchester in London kept him informed of his well-being.  Sam’s disappointment in the end of the engagement was evident, but he was reluctant to end his friendship with Castiel.  After a year of stilted words and short notes, they resumed their friendship, Sam taking Castiel into his confidence and vice versa.  Castiel was even present at Sam’s wedding to his lovely, vivacious wife Jessica, standing up with Sam when Dean was unable to due to his being halfway around the world in India, protecting merchant ships from pirates.

Ten years passed, reader, and Castiel’s smile had departed with Dean.  In the years since he had been persuaded—and subsequently regretted bitterly—to not marry Dean, Castiel smiled only twice: at Sam’s wedding, and at the birth of Anna and Charles’ first child whom they named Samandriel.  His parents complained that he had lost his bloom and would die a spinster, but Castiel remained steadfast in his faithfulness to Dean’s friendship and love, though both had long been ended.  Castiel filled his time with charity work within the Empyrean parish, and pursued his hobbies of drawing and playing the pianoforte, both of which Dean had admired when they were children.  And so a decade passed; never ending days bleeding into everlasting nights as Marv spent more than his means and Castiel resigned himself to dying quite alone.  He kept a polite relationship with his parents at all times, and a rather aloof attitude with Lord Zachariah; even though he had followed and obeyed their advice and demands, he never quite forgave them for persuading him to reject the source of all his happiness, and he never forgave himself for allowing them to convince him thus.

.*.*.*.

_ “The poor darlings!  Do they know how the fire began?” _

_ “No, only that it began in the nursery.  It’s a wonder they escaped!” _

_ “Their poor mother…” _

_ Castiel woke to the sound of the nurse and nurserymaid whispering together.  He turned over to look into the room, but was greeted by a strange sight: there was another little bed and a crib also in the room with him where there had not been the night before.  He stopped breathing, terrified, but quickly started again, because Gabriel had told him if he held his breath then he would float up into the air.  As quietly as he could, he slipped out of his bed and padded over to the crib and peered in.  There lay a baby, sleeping soundly, and looking rather dirty, as if he’d played in dirt before going to sleep.  But that was silly, babies were too young to play in dirt, and besides, Nursey would have washed him before he went to sleep.  But where had the baby come from, he wondered.  Curious, he tip-toed to the other little bed to look who was sleeping there, and he saw two green eyes staring back at him, wide and alarmed.  Gasping, Castiel ran into the playroom where the nurse was sitting and sewing by the fire, and he buried his face in her skirts. _

_ “Why, Master Castiel!  What are you doing awake, you naughty thing?” Nursey exclaimed.  Castiel hid behind her, using the fabric of her dress to shield him from the door to the nursery.  Scared to say anything, he glanced at the door, then up at her, then back to the door. _

_ “Were you scared, Master Castiel?” the nursemaid asked.  He nodded vigorously, his blue eyes wide. _

_ “There’s someone in the nursery, and a baby!” he whispered, too scared to speak any louder.  Nursey clucked her tongue at him. _

_ “Oh fie, little one!  They’re not ghosts!  Those are the Winchester boys!  They’re going to be staying here for a time, while their father attends some business.  Come, let’s put you back in your bed and you can meet them in the morning.”  Nursey swept Castiel up into her arms and he clung to her until she tucked him safely back into bed and closed the door again. _

_ He didn’t dare move, but his breathing and heartbeat were loud, and he didn’t want to wake up the baby and the other boy.  After several very long hours (or at least, it seemed that way to Castiel), the boy in the other bed shifted, and a timid voice spoke. _

_ “Hello,” the other boy whispered.  Castiel gasped, his fear of strangers coming back to grip him tight, but the boy continued.  “I’m Dean.  What’s your name?” _

_ Castiel was silent a long time before deciding to answer.  “…Castiel.” _

_ “How do you do, Castiel?” _

_ “Very well, thank you.”  Castiel calmed a little.  The stranger had a name, and he was a little boy too.  “How do you do?” _

_ “Good.” _

_ “Whose baby is in the crib?” _

_ Dean shifted in his bed again.  “That’s my baby brother, Sammy.  I carried him out of the fire.”  Castiel frowned. _

_ “What fire?” _

_ “The fire at my house.” _

_ “Your house was on fire?” _

_ “Yes.” _

_ “Is that why you’re here?” _

_ “I think so.” _

_ “Oh.”  Castiel thought for a moment.  “Does that mean you don’t have a place to live?” _

_ “I don’t know.  Daddy had a servant bring us here.” _

_ “Does that mean you’re going to stay forever?” _

_ “I don’t know.”  Castiel heard Dean moving in his bed again.  “I’m cold.” _

_ “Do you not have enough blankets?”  Castiel asked.  “No,” was the plaintive response.  Castiel hesitated.  “You can share my bed.  I have lots of blankets.” _

_ “Are you warm?” _

_ “Yes.” _

_ There was hesitation, but then Castiel heard Dean push his covers away and walk over to Castiel’s bed.  Castiel moved over as Dean climbed in and snuggled down.  Castiel could see him smiling in the dark, so Castiel smiled too. _

_ “Hello, Dean.” _

_ “Hello, Cas.” _

_ And that’s how the nurse found them the next morning, sound asleep in Castiel’s bed, holding hands like the fast friends they were. _


End file.
